My 9 year old chihuahua was diagnosed with pyometra. She was spayed yesterday morning. Doc said surgery went fine, but her body temp was low (94 degrees). Doc gave her a pain shot and sent her home.

The dog was INCREDIBLY incoherent all night. Didn't move. Didn't eat or drink or go to the bathroom.

She woke up thismorning, acting the same way. We took her to the vet, and were told she has a "very serious" infection. The dog's white blood cell count is in the 100,000 range, and her body temp is still at about 94 degrees. The doc gave her 2 antibiotic shots, hydrated her, and gave her an oral antibiotic. She sent us home with 2 shots that we have to administer ourselves.

That was 8 hours ago. The dog still has not left her bed, has no interest in food, and is INCREDIBLY lethargic.

We do not know what to do. We are keeping her warm with warm towels and trying to make her comfortable, but this is agonizing. What can we do? What do you all recommend? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, PicoKnows. Sorry to hear your dog is so ill. Pyometra can be a serious infection. Good that you took her back this morning and she was rehydrated and put on strong antibiotic treatment. I am wondering if she would be better off being hospitalized until she is becomes more stabilized. Being the weekend, that would likely mean taking her to an emergency hospital.

We have a veterinarian here, Dr. Lee, who might be able to give you some better feedback. I will PM him for you so he can come on line to address your concerns.

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"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

Thank you so much. We only have one emergency clinic in this area - and it is just awful. They're not even fully staffed and only have someone pop in and out.

Even worse, she is an extremely temperamental dog; she has to be sedated just to get her nails clipped.

We are trying to put a combination of warmed baby food/pedialyte in her mouth with a syringe, but she doesn't even want to swallow it down. She wants to be left alone, and sleep. She does not want us near her.

The doc gave us Baytril and Polyflex, we will be injecting her with them in a few hours. We will also be giving her another dose of Metronidazole orally as well.

Can we do ANYTHING else? Should we be forcing her to have the baby food/pedialyte? If so, how much and how often?

How do we know when the hypothermia has passed? We have a heating pad and heater on her; I don't want to OVERHEAT her.

Yes, it is important to keep her well hydrated. Pedialyte is good if you can get her to take it. What about low sodium chicken broth (no onions) if you can get a hold of some or make your own? She might be more willing to take that.

Edit: Thanks, Chris, I PM'd him also. Hopefully he'll be on soon.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

As far as her temperature is concerned, I don't suppose you have a rectal thermometer. If you did you could take her temperature yourself. The only really reliable way to determine body temperature is with a thermometer.

Also, has she gone to the bathroom at all?

I agree it sucks not to have a vet clinic that is staffed twenty four hours to monitor seriously ill animals.

As Rainbow mentioned, would it be possible to get a hold of your vet to address some of your concerns?

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

we live in the northeast in the states. the animal hospitals are an option, but again, she is very fragile in respects that she growls and bites tremendously if poked or prodded with. the dr's and vet techs have to sedate her when ever she visits.

im worried b/c she is so fragile if the hospital with other animals is best??? this is terribly hard.

Given all the things you have mentioned I would strongly suggest that you take her to the emergency clinic as soon as possible. It certainly doesn't sound like her condition has improved since this morning and it is possible it has deteriorated. The only way you can find out for sure is by having her examined again by a vet. Please do so and please let us know how she is doing after you have more information.

Good vibes that she gets better soon.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

we live in the northeast in the states. the animal hospitals are an option, but again, she is very fragile in respects that she growls and bites tremendously if poked or prodded with. the dr's and vet techs have to sedate her when ever she visits.

im worried b/c she is so fragile if the hospital with other animals is best??? this is terribly hard.

I understand your dilemma and reluctance to take her in yet again.

I am just concerned that her condition may be worsening and it is very difficult to monitor it at home.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

The dog's white blood cell count is in the 100,000 range, and her body temp is still at about 94 degrees. The doc gave her 2 antibiotic shots, hydrated her, and gave her an oral antibiotic. She sent us home with 2 shots that we have to administer ourselves.

That was 8 hours ago. The dog still has not left her bed, has no interest in food, and is INCREDIBLY lethargic.

Pyometra is a serious infection and can be life threatening. With the temperature, white blood cell count, lack of improvement and lethargy, I strongly feel that your dog should be hospitalized in a facility that can provide 24 hour care. Your dog needs thermal support, intravenous fluid support, intravenous antibiotics, not to mention pain medication and additional supportive medications and monitoring. I would take her in immediately.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi

yes. a simple spay could have solved this. she did have a litter, and after the litter, we kept a close eye and the vets assured us --she should have been OK, and it wouldnt be necc. thru the years--to do it over again... we would have spay'd her.

You are doing all you can for her and lets hope for a good outcome for your girl. Please continue to keep us posted.

__________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The animals share with us the privilege of having a soul." -Pythagoras
"The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different." -Hippocrates
"Let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we値l change the world." -Jack Layton
"Be the change you want to see in the world" -Gandhi